Apple Butter, Almond Butter, Cashew Butter….

Well it’s Day 3 of this new diet, and I woke up this morning with hives – the kind I used to get a few years ago when my thyroid was all out of whack. Hopefully it’s a coincidence. That said, a few weeks ago I read an article saying stopping or starting a high-fiber diet will result in the move of your TSH level. I just don’t know in which direction. After a few more days of healthy eating, hopefully my body will adjust.

What am I eating? Well, a lot of vegetables, meat, nuts, and dairy, mostly. It’s a good time of year to start this, because the produce is fresh, and I can pick it up from farms in my area. So, yesterday I stopped by an organic produce stand and bought peppers, cucumbers, zucchini and squash. I like the idea that what I get from the farm is what I eat for dinner. The zucchini and squash with garlic, salt and pepper, and mozzarella cheese was actually quite good. I feel like salads could get pretty boring (I have it for lunch, and a small one with dinner). But I’m trying to add things to it that I love, like black olives, avocado, fresh mozzarella cheese, etc.

Due to the fact that I’ve basically dropped carbs, and certainly anything junk-foody, I don’t really have to worry as much about the fat I’m getting from the dairy or things like avocados or nuts. It’s really not that bad!

Also, we made a trip to Whole Foods yesterday and spent a lot of money, but hopefully on things that will last a while. Peanuts, of all the nuts, aren’t really that good for you, and the peanut butter that you find in the grocery store is loaded with sugar, so I purchased a few kinds to try; specificaly almond and cashew butters. Apple butter is just a treat…

For breakfast I had a little bit of this sprouted grain cereal by the company Ezekiel. It’s very good for you, but tastes like nothing, so I added a little bit of Truvia sugar. According to all the research I’ve done in the last few days, artificial sweeteners are pure chemicals, which is what I’m trying to avoid. But Xylitol and Stevia are natural sweeteners, so I have a green light on using them when necessary. This morning in my cereal, it was necessary. I also bought Stevia in liquid “drop” form. My green tea that’s so good for me will not be to my liking plain, so maybe a few drops of Stevia will help.

My husband is excited to make things from scratch, as he is still having carbs to his liking, but wants to make them really good for you. So, last night he made a loaf of extremely healthy wheat bread, with pumpkin, sunflower, and flax seeds in it. He’ll use it for a turkey sandwich for lunch. I also gave coconut water a try, as an alternative to water. It’s not wonderful – it tastes sort of like diluted juice. But it was a nice break.

All of a sudden we have cupboards filled with all-new things. Hopefully we’ll find at least a few we really like, and can become a permanent fixture in the house.

We are also close to joining a few CSA’s (a farm share). Unfortunately, it’s late in the season to sign up for them – most require payments by early spring. I’m still calling around, though. Basically, the produce CSA we join won’t be too far away, as I would go once a week to pick up the harvest. However, the meat/dairy CSA will be a further distance away, as there aren’t many around me, and it’ll keep in the freezer for a long time. Once we officially join, I’ll let you know. Until then, I’m just trying to support my local farmers (and buy organic, when possible) by buying produce around me.